Day 2 : Topkapi

From Hagia Sophia, we proceeded to Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi). Only Didi accompanied me in. Actually, I nearly lost Didi and my new friends from Indonesia as we were separated at the exit of Hagia Sophia. Desperate to find them to at least say goodbye, I walked to the Pudding Shop to have access to my whatsap application as we had changed number earlier. Luckily, Didi replied to my text.

Walking in the sea of tourists, it was easy to spot Malaysians. It was cold and windy. I complained to Didi that I was underdressed. The weather in Istanbul caught me off guard as I thought the winter was about to end. I guess, we could never trust the weather like before as it keeps on changing day after day. It was here that Didi explained the importance of layered clothing.

After the Muslim conquest of Constantinople which later become known as Istanbul, Mehmet II built Topkapi Palace as his principal residence. Since Topkapi Palace was not built as one single building, there are 4 enormous courtyards, pavilions, harem etc. Initially, the palace serves as the seat of government and contained a school in which civil servants and soldiers were trained. In 1853, Sultan Abdul Mecit I abandoned Topkapi in favour of Dolmabahce Palace. It was later in 1924 that Topkapi Palace was opened to the public.

The first courtyard was free entrance. Only at the Gate of Salutations that you have to show your Muze Kart or buy entrance ticket. If you notice at the main entrance gate, there is Suleyman I’s tugra (official seal).

To enter the Topkapi, we entered the Gate of Salutions which served as entrance to Topkapi. We walked along the second courtyard. On our right hand side was the kitchen, meanwhile the left side was the harem, the labyrinth of exquisite rooms where the sultan’s wives and concubines lived.

Visitors to Topkapi are allowed to photograph the courtyard areas and the inside of some pavilions. However, exhibition of ceramics, glass and silverware and also the treasury exhibitions are subjected to no-photography rules. In fact, while you are inside, you will be under surveilliance of Topkapi staff.

The entrance into the Palace’s Collections

It is here that one could see the Ottoman sultans’ treasures. Inside the kitchen exhibition, the palace’s collection of ceramics, glass and silverware are exhibited. In fact, Topkapi’s collection of Chinese porcelain is the world’s second best after China itself. There is also weaponry collection on exhibition which includes the ornately embellished swords and several bows, huge iron swords used by European crusaders and 15-century Ottoman chainail and colourful shields.

Apart from that, there are also, imperial costumes, miniatures and manuscripts exhibitions. The most important one is of course the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle which houses the Islamic Sacred Relics known as the Sacred Trust, which consists of religious pieces sent to the Ottoman Sultans between the 16th century to the late 19th century.

The most sacred treasure is the mantle once worn by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The garment is said to have been gifted by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to one of his followers Uwais al-Qarani who was martyred in the Battle of Siffin. Under the Abbasid dynasty, the holy mantle went to Baghdad, then to Cairo under the Mamluks, and finally, during the reign of Ottoman Sultans, to Istanbul by Sultan Selim in 1595 and preserved along with some other holy relics.

Inside the Privy Chamber which houses the Sacred Trust, there is non-stop recital of Al-Quran. In front of the gold chest which is used to store the holy mantle, there is a stand that holds two of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) sword.

Inside the Destimal Chamber, one would be having a close look to Abraham’s Pot, Joseph’s Turban, Moses’s Staff, David’s Sword, scrolls belonging to John and even Prophet Muhammad’s footprint. Meanwhile, the Sadirvanli Sofa is the room where the keys to the Kaaba, the gutters of the Kaaba, the casing of the Black Stone, the Door of Repentance and the swords of Prophet Muhammad’s companions are on display.

It is in the Audience Chamber that you may see the pieces from the tooth of Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of Prophet Muhammad, an autographed letter of Prophet Muhammad and his swords and bow in their exclusive reliquary made by Ottoman goldsmiths.

It was Didi who continuosly noticed my facial expression which was obviously in awe. I didn’t expect to see so many sacred relics at one place. While reading it in book may give some ideas of what I would be seeing in Topkapi Privy Chamber, but seeing it in real life left me speechless for a moment.

Let me give you an idea of the standard procedures inside the exhibition halls. You have to queue up to see the collections. Please expect crowd as Topkapi’s Privy Chamber is deemed as a place of pilgrimage by some people. While some people tend to read, scrutinize every single detail of the treasured collection, there are people who are not willing to wait for their turns and skip queue. The surveillance police will be on alert to catch no-photography rule breakers.

We ended our visit to Topkapi at the end of the fourth courtyard overlooking to the sea. As Didi and the rest had to leave Istanbul for Ankara, I was left alone exploring Istanbul. Before they left, they gave me a set of postcards as souvenirs.

It was outside that I noticed I didn’t go to the harem. When I asked if I could enter Topkapi again for Harem, I was asked to pay for another entrance fee for Topkapi and then Harem which was not worth it since I would surpass my budget of the day.